Tesla Model S Gets Five Stars For Crash Safety From NHTSA

The Tesla Model S electric sedan has become the latest car to be awarded a full five star crash test rating by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

While it's no surprise for modern cars to score highly in such tests, it's still an impressive feat for a young automaker like Tesla Motors, which hasn't had previous decades of safety technology development to call upon.

The Model S scored a full five stars in frontal crash, side crash and rollover tests, for a five-star rating overall.

It means the Model S joins more established vehicles such as the 2013 Kia Optima, Honda Accord and Volvo S60 in scoring maximum marks in all impact tests.

The videos above and below (via the Tesla Motors Club forum) show the Model S undergoing frontal impact, side impact and side pole impact testing, with minimal cabin intrusion and the car's wealth of airbags all firing as they should.

Like watching a Model S torn apart by the jaws of life it'll make uncomfortable viewing for Tesla fans--but owners and fans alike will be glad to see that Tesla's highly-rated Model S is as safe as any other similarly-sized car on the road.